Victoria gasped against his lips, hands on his chest as she tried to resist. The kiss was rough, full of an emotion she couldn't quite put her finger on. She felt his hand release her dress, only for it settle and squeeze her waist. Desire rolled over her in waves.

She whimpered, surrendering to the softness of his lips. Her hands were trying to grasp at his chest to no avail, the metal armour under her fingers got colder and colder as her body burned like a furnace.

Like a flower, she bloomed under him as she eagerly met his burning desire with her own. His tongue traced her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter her mouth. In which she immediately accepted, pressing her body against him as much as possible. He groaned against her lips, arms tightening, bringing her as close as physically possible to him as his tongue massaged and kneaded hers.

Victoria's head spun as she sunk further into this sinful passion. Hades kissed her as if he were a soldier about to leave for war, with the same desperation as if she were the last drop of water in a desert that never ended. The kiss was fervent, Victoria had never experienced anything like this. The need, the desperation...she thought she was going mad.

Hades pulled away, his breathing ragged and eyes dilated. A faint blush covered his neck. "Tell me to stop." His voice was raspy, thick with emotion. Victoria barely heard what he said as the pounding of her heart rushed through her ears. She was stunned. No, stunned didn't cover it. It was as if she had been kissed dumb.

His lips glistened with saliva. She was overcome with wanting to taste and kiss him until the day she died. The taste of him made her heart heave and roll. She was addicted, needing him to consume her.

"Tell me to stop before I keep going." His eyes were desperate as he searched Victoria's eyes. She felt his hand tighten on her waist. In her dazed state, she stared at him through hazy eyes filled with lust. Stop? Why would she want to stop?

When she didn't breathe a word, Hades groaned and kissed her again. Victoria could barely think, all that ran through her head was that she wanted more. More and more and more and-

A loud bang made them spring apart. She turned her head toward the sound and saw a maid standing there, shock written all over her face as she stared at the coupling. A wooden bucket was lying on the floor, water spilled out all over the marble floor as steam slowly raised up into the air. At the least the mop was still in her hand.

The maid began apologising profusely. Bending to her knees and taking a cloth out she began to try and collect the boiling hot water with her bare hands back into the bucket. She looked terrified.

Hades cursed as Victoria gathered her bearings and adjusted her clothes.

"Ah dammit," he cursed again, "I'm sorry, I was never planning on kissing you. Not like this. I was supposed to just–Hermes was–you looked so beauti-" he ran a hand through his hair and then his face, brows furrowed as he stared at her lips, evidently furious with himself.

Gathering a breath, he spoke again.

"I apologise my lady, it is evident that you don't want me as your intended and I disregarded your feelings. I was unable to control m-"

She looked up at him, looking at him as if he had just taken his favourite toy away from her. Hades cursed and turned away from her, he was struggling with an inner battle.

"Stop looking at me." He growled, there was a deep hunger in his voice. "I swear on the Styx, I swear-" he cursed again and without a single look back, he left the room. The door slamming behind him. Leaving her standing there, unable to believe what had just happened.

Victoria's heart was still pounding as she listened to the echo of the door slamming around the room. The kiss had sent her reeling.

Calum. She thought. I've just betrayed Calum.

Guilt filled her heart at the realisation. She had been taken away from her boyfriend. Not just her boyfriend but her life that she had built for herself.

A small clatter broke her out of her thoughts.

The maid that had dropped the bucket had risen to her feet and had began mopping up the spill. Her hands were trembling. Victoria felt a rush of pity and immediately hurried to her.

"Your hands." Vicyoria breathed in horror. The maid's hands were bright red from being burned by the water.

"My lady," she curtsied, her was thick with tears, "I am so sorry, it was a mistake and it will not happen again."

"Please call me Victoria." She murmured softly to her, bending down to take her hands. "I am not a lady, just another human being. You do not need to address me so."

Shock was written all over the maids face at her words. She nodded her head and Victoria realised that she was crying.

"Oh no, please don't cry." She hushed, "you've done nothing wrong."

"My la- Victoria. This is not common practice between master and servant. I apologise if I am talking out of place."

"You're not." Victoria spoke firmly. She wished that she was able to have the same confidence when talking to Hades. With determination, she pried the mop out of the maid's hands and grabbed the handle of the bucket. "I can't allow your to continue working with your hands in this condition. We must immediately have them cared for."

The maid protested.

"Please miss, I can't have you holding a servants equipment. This isn't right."

Victoria smiled at her.

"I think in this instance, it doesn't matter. Come. We will find somebody to treat your hands."

The maid bowed and opened the doors for Victoria to walk out of. The bucket was heavy with water and she could feel blisters begin to form as she walking down the hallway with the maid.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"My name?" The maid was surprised at the question. "My name is Amelia."

"Well Amelia, show me where we shall put away this bucket and mop and then to somebody who can tend to your hands."

-

Victoria found herself at the Palace kitchen. The hustle and bustle of it brought a little comfort to her as chefs yelled at each other, rushing to prepare as much food as possible. Amelia pushed open the door.

"Amelia!" A man's voice shouted at her, "what the hell are you doing here?! You should be working!"

Victoria followed her into the rest of the kitchen to see plates of food steaming on the tables.

The man kept nagging Amelia. He stopped as soon as he saw Victoria standing there in Hades' cloak. His eyes widened and immediately fell to his knees.

"My lady! Please forgive my language. You shouldn't be down in the servants working area."

"Alec! The lady prefers for you to address her by her name." Amelia scolded him.

Remembering what Hermes had told her, Victoria told the man to rise.

"Amelia is right." She said cheerfully, "and you need not bow to me, I'm not royalty."

"My lady, I insist on addressing you by your title. You are Hades' intended, we cannot treat you any other way. Please, otherwise we may face punishment."

Victoria furrowed her eyebrows at his words.

"Very well." She sighed in defeat. "Call me what you like, we're here to find someone to heal Amelia's hands. She burnt them in hot water."

At her words, the cook's attention was redirected to Amelia. It only took a heartbeat for him to start nagging her as he pulled out some ointment.

The maid stood there, her head lowered in embarrassment. Victoria couldn't help but smile at the scene. It felt so homely down here, it was evident how much these people cared for each other. In the way Alec gently applied the ointment on Amelia's hands, the way a young boy pulled out chairs for both to sit on, the way the cook kept nagging at the maid, lecturing her to be more careful in the future.

"Miss." The same young boy tugged at her cloak. He had light brown hair, wide blue eyes, and the clothes he wore were stained with grease. "Is it true that you will save us from the titans? Is the King really as magnificent as he is?"

"Benjamin!" Alec scolded the boy and drew him away. "Do not bother our lady."

Victoria smiled at them. "It's no bother at all." She then turned to the boy. "Benjamin is it? Do you mind if I call you Ben?"

The boy nodded his head violently, she worried that I he would hurt himself. "The lady has given me a nickname. I am honoured and flattered to be named Ben, I will serve my lady to-"

"Stop talking boy." Alec grumbled.

The kid blushed red and shut his mouth. Victoria giggled.

"I'm just another human being." She said, "and I'm not entirely sure how I got here or what role I play. I don't know the King either but he is twice more magnificent than you may think." Her words surprised her. Thoughts and images of Hades clouded her mind as she remebered how he held her. Remebered the hunger in his dark eyes, the gleam of moisture on his lips when he pulled away.

I would love to see him without the armour on. She thought dreamily. Victoria stopped herself. What the hell was she thinking?

The cooks and helpers in the kitchen seemed to stop and stare as she spoke. As if holding onto each word that fell from her lips.

"The King is very scary." Amelia whispered, "he is terrifying but fair. He has never risen a hand to us servants and always treats us with respect. And he is so very handsome."

Victoria smiled.

"Yes, he is very handsome isn't he?" Pictures of him came back to her mind. The way he sat on his throne, the curve of his jaw, the sound of his voice as he spoke to her. Victoria flushed in embarrassment as she saw everyone had stopped working and stared at her.

Alec coughed, his face twisted in awkwardness.

"I- um, I need to-" Victoria rose to her feet. "Please excuse me." She bowed to the people who all seemed to have turned red in embrassment and rushed out the door.